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What We'll Burn Last
From the acclaimed author of Before She Finds Me comes a sharp and surprising thriller about two entangled families in a California neighborhood who must race to find answers about a missing teenage girl as a wildfire crackles to life nearby . . .
Three women.
When she was twelve, Leyna Clarke watched her older sister, Grace, walk away from their Sierra Nevada foothills home with her boyfriend, Adam Duran. Neither was ever seen again. Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna works—and vanishes soon after. When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, Leyna’s childhood crush Dominic, who is also Adam’s brother, pleads with her to do the last thing she wants to come home.
Three secrets.
But Leyna isn’t the only one who hasn’t been able to leave that fateful night behind. Her mother, Meredith, still lives in the family’s old home—even if she claims to believe the police’s theory that Grace and Adam were willing runaways. Down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns. . . and to prove that Meredith and Leyna have been hiding something all these years. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or the missing girl. As a wildfire sparks, tempers flare and intentions turn deadly. Because someone in the neighborhood knows what really happened that night—and just how good the forest is at keeping its secrets.
Who will you trust?
Three women.
When she was twelve, Leyna Clarke watched her older sister, Grace, walk away from their Sierra Nevada foothills home with her boyfriend, Adam Duran. Neither was ever seen again. Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna works—and vanishes soon after. When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, Leyna’s childhood crush Dominic, who is also Adam’s brother, pleads with her to do the last thing she wants to come home.
Three secrets.
But Leyna isn’t the only one who hasn’t been able to leave that fateful night behind. Her mother, Meredith, still lives in the family’s old home—even if she claims to believe the police’s theory that Grace and Adam were willing runaways. Down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns. . . and to prove that Meredith and Leyna have been hiding something all these years. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or the missing girl. As a wildfire sparks, tempers flare and intentions turn deadly. Because someone in the neighborhood knows what really happened that night—and just how good the forest is at keeping its secrets.
Who will you trust?
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 23, 2024
53 people are currently reading
10137 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
June 13, 2024
Slow
What We’ll Burn Last is a thriller centered around a missing girl and a wildfire approaching a half-completed housing development, which is eerily tied to another disappearance from the same area 16 years ago.
I went into this book expecting the pacing and action to be similar to Before She Finds Me, which I loved for the action, drama, tension, and suspense. This book is quite different--it is a slow-burn read with minimal action until the end.
The narrative revolves around three women:
Leyna, a sometimes waitress who has never given up hope that her sister Grace, who disappeared 16 years ago, is still alive. Her obsession with uncovering the truth has isolated her from everyone.
Meredith, mother to Grace and Leyna, lives a solitary life painting replicas of famous artworks in an unfinished housing development.
Olivia, the mother of Adam (Grace’s boyfriend) and Meredith’s neighbor, grapples with her hidden struggles.
All are keeping secrets about Grace and Adam’s disappearance. I didn’t like any of the characters, although Leyna is perhaps the most sympathetic.
The narrative structure is a bit choppy--perspectives will shift from the present to the past in the middle of a chapter, making it a bit confusing to remember which timeline I was in.
There are chapters also dedicated to the fire. I expected more tension and suspense from these chapters, but they were stagnant.
This was a bit of a struggle to read. It took me a week to get through it. Had it not been for the mystery surrounding Grace’s disappearance, which was intriguing and had many layers, I probably would have DNF’d. The only other element I was concerned with was whether or not Olivia’s dog, Goose, would make it out of the fire alive.
The ending is where the action, tension, and suspense finally come into play. However, the outcome fell flat. I also had some questions that were never answered.
This isn't a bad read; however, it didn't fully meet my expectations. The mystery is compelling, and while the intensity of the characters can be off-putting, it also adds a certain depth to the narrative.
Overall, this was a mixed bag that left me curious yet somewhat unsatisfied.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Mulholland Books in exchange for an honest review.
What We’ll Burn Last is a thriller centered around a missing girl and a wildfire approaching a half-completed housing development, which is eerily tied to another disappearance from the same area 16 years ago.
I went into this book expecting the pacing and action to be similar to Before She Finds Me, which I loved for the action, drama, tension, and suspense. This book is quite different--it is a slow-burn read with minimal action until the end.
The narrative revolves around three women:
Leyna, a sometimes waitress who has never given up hope that her sister Grace, who disappeared 16 years ago, is still alive. Her obsession with uncovering the truth has isolated her from everyone.
Meredith, mother to Grace and Leyna, lives a solitary life painting replicas of famous artworks in an unfinished housing development.
Olivia, the mother of Adam (Grace’s boyfriend) and Meredith’s neighbor, grapples with her hidden struggles.
All are keeping secrets about Grace and Adam’s disappearance. I didn’t like any of the characters, although Leyna is perhaps the most sympathetic.
The narrative structure is a bit choppy--perspectives will shift from the present to the past in the middle of a chapter, making it a bit confusing to remember which timeline I was in.
There are chapters also dedicated to the fire. I expected more tension and suspense from these chapters, but they were stagnant.
This was a bit of a struggle to read. It took me a week to get through it. Had it not been for the mystery surrounding Grace’s disappearance, which was intriguing and had many layers, I probably would have DNF’d. The only other element I was concerned with was whether or not Olivia’s dog, Goose, would make it out of the fire alive.
The ending is where the action, tension, and suspense finally come into play. However, the outcome fell flat. I also had some questions that were never answered.
This isn't a bad read; however, it didn't fully meet my expectations. The mystery is compelling, and while the intensity of the characters can be off-putting, it also adds a certain depth to the narrative.
Overall, this was a mixed bag that left me curious yet somewhat unsatisfied.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Mulholland Books in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
This was a SOLID 4 STAR read for me….until the ending. 🫤
Grace was counting down the days until she graduated: 1300, 1115, 895…softening the blow for her younger sister, Leyna.
Leyna was counting on 466 more days with her sister at home-but then Grace and her boyfriend Adam, disappeared from their Sierra Foothills neighborhood.
Now she has been without Grace for nearly 6000 days- And, she is still obsessed with the true-crime websites-still looking for a trace of her sister.
Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna is working.
Her name is Ellie Byrd.
SHE VANISHES SOON AFTER
When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, she and Adam’s brother, Dominick, become convinced that there is a connection, and they team up to investigate.
Leyna’s mother, Meredith, still lives in the family home—and down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns.
So, it isn’t hard to find either woman when the PAST comes knocking. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or to the missing girl from Sacramento.
There is a Wildfire threatening the neighborhood, and it may be even more deadly than the secrets that are about to become exposed. As the 🔥 grew closer, I grew nervous, as I have personally seen what the sky looks like when FIRE is near.
Last year’s “Before She Finds Me” was a FAST paced thriller that earned 5 stars from me. And, many early reviewers were disappointed that this book DIDN’T share that same fast pace. I didn’t mind this SLOW BURN, which is more DOMESTIC SUSPENSE-as Heather Chavez writes a lot of delicious highlight-worthy passages that just capture my fancy…
Like when Leyna finds at a neighbors house-a well worn copy of a favorite book, Agatha Christie’s -The Murder of Roger Ackroyd-and wonders if her favorite parts were also his. Or, when Olivia is visited by law enforcement who is warning residents of the threat of fire, and she muses that “the worst news always followed being asked to take a seat”.
But, what did not work for me after such an intriguing start was the convoluted ending. I had to read it TWICE, so I understood what happened but I still couldn’t make sense of WHY. It just didn’t work.
I remained engaged and curious throughout but, the final chapters really let me down.
At least Goose 🐶 comes out unscathed!
BE SURE to read the author’s notes about her terrifying experience with a WILDFIRE.
AND, be sure to watch for DeAnn’s review for additional thoughts! Perhaps she found the ending satisfying?
Available Now
Thank You to Mulholland Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. These are my candid thoughts!
This was a SOLID 4 STAR read for me….until the ending. 🫤
Grace was counting down the days until she graduated: 1300, 1115, 895…softening the blow for her younger sister, Leyna.
Leyna was counting on 466 more days with her sister at home-but then Grace and her boyfriend Adam, disappeared from their Sierra Foothills neighborhood.
Now she has been without Grace for nearly 6000 days- And, she is still obsessed with the true-crime websites-still looking for a trace of her sister.
Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna is working.
Her name is Ellie Byrd.
SHE VANISHES SOON AFTER
When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, she and Adam’s brother, Dominick, become convinced that there is a connection, and they team up to investigate.
Leyna’s mother, Meredith, still lives in the family home—and down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns.
So, it isn’t hard to find either woman when the PAST comes knocking. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or to the missing girl from Sacramento.
There is a Wildfire threatening the neighborhood, and it may be even more deadly than the secrets that are about to become exposed. As the 🔥 grew closer, I grew nervous, as I have personally seen what the sky looks like when FIRE is near.
Last year’s “Before She Finds Me” was a FAST paced thriller that earned 5 stars from me. And, many early reviewers were disappointed that this book DIDN’T share that same fast pace. I didn’t mind this SLOW BURN, which is more DOMESTIC SUSPENSE-as Heather Chavez writes a lot of delicious highlight-worthy passages that just capture my fancy…
Like when Leyna finds at a neighbors house-a well worn copy of a favorite book, Agatha Christie’s -The Murder of Roger Ackroyd-and wonders if her favorite parts were also his. Or, when Olivia is visited by law enforcement who is warning residents of the threat of fire, and she muses that “the worst news always followed being asked to take a seat”.
But, what did not work for me after such an intriguing start was the convoluted ending. I had to read it TWICE, so I understood what happened but I still couldn’t make sense of WHY. It just didn’t work.
I remained engaged and curious throughout but, the final chapters really let me down.
At least Goose 🐶 comes out unscathed!
BE SURE to read the author’s notes about her terrifying experience with a WILDFIRE.
AND, be sure to watch for DeAnn’s review for additional thoughts! Perhaps she found the ending satisfying?
Available Now
Thank You to Mulholland Books for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. These are my candid thoughts!
February 25, 2024
This riveting mystery unfolds in the midst of a 16-year investigation into the disappearance of Ellie Byrd, a case that may be linked to the vanishing of two young teenagers. As power outages and wildfires add to the tension, the compelling pacing draws you deeper into the central mysteries, which intertwine the past and present with a web of secrets and tragedy.
The narrative revolves around three key characters: Leyna Clerk, a 28-year-old working menial jobs to make ends meet, consumed by the quest to uncover the truth behind her missing sister Grace's disappearance; Olivia Duran, mother to Adam, Dominic, and ten-year-old Thea, still holding out hope for her son's return while harboring secrets from her husband and nursing resentments towards the Clerk family; and Meredith Clerk, a professional art forger estranged from her daughter Leyna, grappling with her own troubled past and the secrets surrounding Grace's disappearance.
Leyna's chance encounter with young Ellie Byrd sparks memories of her missing sister and raises suspicions about Adam Duran's involvement. When Ellie herself goes missing, Leyna is compelled to return to her hometown and join forces with Dominic, Adam's brother and her long-time crush, to uncover the truth. As tensions escalate amidst the chaos of wildfires and power outages, long-buried secrets come to light, and the simmering animosity between the Clerks and the Durans threatens to erupt into violence.
Overall, I found the pacing and twists of the story to be engaging, though I was left with some lingering questions. The unlikable characterization of Olivia and Meredith, with their dysfunctional attitudes towards their children, detracted slightly from my enjoyment, but the intriguing storyline and satisfying conclusion ultimately earned it a rating of 4 stars.
As always, I'm a big fan of Heather Chavez's fast-paced thrillers that grip you from the start and keep you hooked until the very end.
Many thanks to Heather Chavez and NetGalley for providing me with an unputdownable digital review copy of this thrilling novel in exchange for my honest feedback.
The narrative revolves around three key characters: Leyna Clerk, a 28-year-old working menial jobs to make ends meet, consumed by the quest to uncover the truth behind her missing sister Grace's disappearance; Olivia Duran, mother to Adam, Dominic, and ten-year-old Thea, still holding out hope for her son's return while harboring secrets from her husband and nursing resentments towards the Clerk family; and Meredith Clerk, a professional art forger estranged from her daughter Leyna, grappling with her own troubled past and the secrets surrounding Grace's disappearance.
Leyna's chance encounter with young Ellie Byrd sparks memories of her missing sister and raises suspicions about Adam Duran's involvement. When Ellie herself goes missing, Leyna is compelled to return to her hometown and join forces with Dominic, Adam's brother and her long-time crush, to uncover the truth. As tensions escalate amidst the chaos of wildfires and power outages, long-buried secrets come to light, and the simmering animosity between the Clerks and the Durans threatens to erupt into violence.
Overall, I found the pacing and twists of the story to be engaging, though I was left with some lingering questions. The unlikable characterization of Olivia and Meredith, with their dysfunctional attitudes towards their children, detracted slightly from my enjoyment, but the intriguing storyline and satisfying conclusion ultimately earned it a rating of 4 stars.
As always, I'm a big fan of Heather Chavez's fast-paced thrillers that grip you from the start and keep you hooked until the very end.
Many thanks to Heather Chavez and NetGalley for providing me with an unputdownable digital review copy of this thrilling novel in exchange for my honest feedback.
March 22, 2024
This cover!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Right?! I became a instant fan after reading and loving Before She Finds Me last year… so I was beyond excited to get my hands on this gorgeous early copy!! Thank you @mulhollandbooks !!! I am so grateful!! 🥰🥰🥰
Pub date is July 23rd!!! 🥳🥳🥳
So your older sister goes missing… and so does her boyfriend… POOF 💥 GONE… Did Grace and Adam run away?? Or did Adam finally kill her?? He has a violent streak..🤔… and we all know… It’s ALWAYS the boyfriend. 🤷♀️
So when Leyna meets a girl… one that looks a heck of alot like her missing sister Grace… 🤔… could it be her?? It’s been 16 long years… who knows?? 🤷♀️
The drama between these two families of the missing kids was insane… they hated each other… but why?? 🤔 As the tension amped up… EVERYONE was a suspect in my eyes!! Someone in their close knit neighborhood knows… but who??😏
Seriously this book had me so on edge as we raced to the end! The suspense was off the chain… it was a race against the clock ⏰ with a wildfire 🔥🔥🔥 threatening their neighborhood… and the secrets so long held unraveling. OMG 😳 @iamhrchavez managed to give me SO much anxiety that I couldn’t sleep 😴!! You know what that means??? That she turned out another hell 🔥🔥🔥 of a thriller!! 👏👏
🔥🔥 Don’t miss the author note… it will definitely made me appreciate how well she was able to channel the adrenaline she felt … straight to her readers… 👏👏I am so sorry though that she had to experience something so terrifying. ❤️
Is this on your list?
Pub date is July 23rd!!! 🥳🥳🥳
So your older sister goes missing… and so does her boyfriend… POOF 💥 GONE… Did Grace and Adam run away?? Or did Adam finally kill her?? He has a violent streak..🤔… and we all know… It’s ALWAYS the boyfriend. 🤷♀️
So when Leyna meets a girl… one that looks a heck of alot like her missing sister Grace… 🤔… could it be her?? It’s been 16 long years… who knows?? 🤷♀️
The drama between these two families of the missing kids was insane… they hated each other… but why?? 🤔 As the tension amped up… EVERYONE was a suspect in my eyes!! Someone in their close knit neighborhood knows… but who??😏
Seriously this book had me so on edge as we raced to the end! The suspense was off the chain… it was a race against the clock ⏰ with a wildfire 🔥🔥🔥 threatening their neighborhood… and the secrets so long held unraveling. OMG 😳 @iamhrchavez managed to give me SO much anxiety that I couldn’t sleep 😴!! You know what that means??? That she turned out another hell 🔥🔥🔥 of a thriller!! 👏👏
🔥🔥 Don’t miss the author note… it will definitely made me appreciate how well she was able to channel the adrenaline she felt … straight to her readers… 👏👏I am so sorry though that she had to experience something so terrifying. ❤️
Is this on your list?
August 12, 2024
An atmospheric setting. Dysfunctional family dynamics. Cliffhanger chapters. All of the above describes What We’ll Burn Last to a T. From its suspenseful, winding plot scattered with deftly obscured secrets to the evocative setting, my mind was riveted right from the start. The characters, however, were what got my attention. Complicated by tangled relationships within a small neighborhood, I was easily pulled into the drama as if watching it unfold in real time.
Speaking of those characters, the multiple POVs were simply sublime. Unlike other novels I’ve that read, the narrative didn’t cover a scene from just one perspective. This gripping addition gave every interaction a mysterious edge. Who was hiding secrets? And who was really telling the truth? On top of that, there were plenty of characters to rally behind as well as plenty to hate. Then was the glorious fact that they were all somewhat morally gray.
The plot, though, was where this book faltered just the tiniest bit. Considerably slower than Chavez’s last novel, Before She Finds Me, this one felt much more like a domestic drama mixed judiciously with a tale of suspense. A slow burn for the first 200 pages, it was primarily character-driven. While I normally love just such a novel, I have to admit that I was confused here and there. After all, so hidden were the secrets, that it took some doing to work it all out.
Despite this, however, the unfolding drama and rising foreboding meant that I was wholly won over by the end of the book. Especially considering the multiple jaw-dropping twists. Adding to my adoration was how I looked upon everyone with suspicion as the approaching wildfire heightened the tension. When I say that the energy and setting crackled with heat, I’m not exaggerating in the least. Especially once the slow burn caught fire and exploded into one spine-tingling climax.
All in all, while this was quite the departure from her last novel, Chavez has merely shown that she can masterfully pull off not just one subgenre but two. With an edge-of-your-seat intensity and intriguingly interwoven backstories, I promise that your attention will be held. All told, I can easily see this playing out on a screen near me someday soon. So be sure to grab your copy today. After all, that’s the only way you’ll discover that happened to Ellie—and Grace. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Three women.
When she was twelve, Leyna Clarke watched her older sister, Grace, walk away from their Sierra Nevada foothills home with her boyfriend, Adam Duran. Neither was ever seen again. Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna works—and vanishes soon after. When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, Leyna’s childhood crush Dominic, who is also Adam’s brother, pleads with her to do the last thing she wants to do: come home.
Three secrets.
But Leyna isn’t the only one who hasn’t been able to leave that fateful night behind. Her mother, Meredith, still lives in the family’s old home—even if she claims to believe the police’s theory that Grace and Adam were willing runaways. Down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns…and to prove that Meredith and Leyna have been hiding something all these years. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or the missing girl. As a wildfire sparks, tempers flare and intentions turn deadly. Because someone in the neighborhood knows what really happened that night—and just how good the forest is at keeping its secrets.
Who will you trust?
Thank you to Heather Chavez and Mulholland Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 23, 2024
Scroll down for my potentially plot spoiling trigger list.
Trigger warning: missing persons, wildfire, kidnapping
Speaking of those characters, the multiple POVs were simply sublime. Unlike other novels I’ve that read, the narrative didn’t cover a scene from just one perspective. This gripping addition gave every interaction a mysterious edge. Who was hiding secrets? And who was really telling the truth? On top of that, there were plenty of characters to rally behind as well as plenty to hate. Then was the glorious fact that they were all somewhat morally gray.
The plot, though, was where this book faltered just the tiniest bit. Considerably slower than Chavez’s last novel, Before She Finds Me, this one felt much more like a domestic drama mixed judiciously with a tale of suspense. A slow burn for the first 200 pages, it was primarily character-driven. While I normally love just such a novel, I have to admit that I was confused here and there. After all, so hidden were the secrets, that it took some doing to work it all out.
Despite this, however, the unfolding drama and rising foreboding meant that I was wholly won over by the end of the book. Especially considering the multiple jaw-dropping twists. Adding to my adoration was how I looked upon everyone with suspicion as the approaching wildfire heightened the tension. When I say that the energy and setting crackled with heat, I’m not exaggerating in the least. Especially once the slow burn caught fire and exploded into one spine-tingling climax.
All in all, while this was quite the departure from her last novel, Chavez has merely shown that she can masterfully pull off not just one subgenre but two. With an edge-of-your-seat intensity and intriguingly interwoven backstories, I promise that your attention will be held. All told, I can easily see this playing out on a screen near me someday soon. So be sure to grab your copy today. After all, that’s the only way you’ll discover that happened to Ellie—and Grace. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Three women.
When she was twelve, Leyna Clarke watched her older sister, Grace, walk away from their Sierra Nevada foothills home with her boyfriend, Adam Duran. Neither was ever seen again. Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna works—and vanishes soon after. When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, Leyna’s childhood crush Dominic, who is also Adam’s brother, pleads with her to do the last thing she wants to do: come home.
Three secrets.
But Leyna isn’t the only one who hasn’t been able to leave that fateful night behind. Her mother, Meredith, still lives in the family’s old home—even if she claims to believe the police’s theory that Grace and Adam were willing runaways. Down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns…and to prove that Meredith and Leyna have been hiding something all these years. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or the missing girl. As a wildfire sparks, tempers flare and intentions turn deadly. Because someone in the neighborhood knows what really happened that night—and just how good the forest is at keeping its secrets.
Who will you trust?
Thank you to Heather Chavez and Mulholland Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 23, 2024
Scroll down for my potentially plot spoiling trigger list.
Trigger warning: missing persons, wildfire, kidnapping
September 25, 2024
The premise was so intriguing, and I was hoping I would love it as much as I did Before She Finds Me, but unfortunately, it was just a complete miss for me.
This slow-burn thriller centers around Leyna, who is still looking for her older sister, Grace, who vanished into thin air more than ten years ago. When a girl with a striking resemblance to Grace goes missing as well, Leyna goes home to get answers from the mother who is keeping secrets from her and the family whose son she thinks had a hand in her sister's disappearance. All this is set against the deadly California wildfires, raging and threatening to spread to Leyna's home.
What We’ll Burn Last is told from three perspectives- Leyna, Leyna's cold mother; Meredith, and Olivia, whose son Adam also went missing at the same time as Grace, who happened to be his girlfriend. The story also bounces back and forth between the present and the past. Overall, Meredith and Olivia's narratives are unnecessarily angry- instead of trying to work together to find their children, they spew insults and blame each other- and I found the shifts and storytelling very choppy. Leyna's whole life for the past sixteen years has revolved around finding her sister. Suppose the fires are a metaphor for the mystery burning underneath her childhood home. In that case, the unfinished housing development Meredith and Olivia still live in seems to be a fitting metaphor for Leyna's stunted life and Meredith and Olivia's inability to move forward in many ways.
Not much happens for two-thirds of the novel, and the last third is almost overly action-packed to make up for it. While the pacing and lack of likeable characters made it hard for me to get invested, my mind wandered, and I found myself swiping the pages; the mystery of what happened to Grace and the new missing girl kept me turning the pages. The final reveal of what happened was a total letdown. Not only was it needlessly complex and convoluted, but once I sat back to absorb it, it just didn't make any sense. The ending kept me trying to figure out how the pieces fit together—they just didn't. 😞
I want to thank Mulholland Books and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
This slow-burn thriller centers around Leyna, who is still looking for her older sister, Grace, who vanished into thin air more than ten years ago. When a girl with a striking resemblance to Grace goes missing as well, Leyna goes home to get answers from the mother who is keeping secrets from her and the family whose son she thinks had a hand in her sister's disappearance. All this is set against the deadly California wildfires, raging and threatening to spread to Leyna's home.
What We’ll Burn Last is told from three perspectives- Leyna, Leyna's cold mother; Meredith, and Olivia, whose son Adam also went missing at the same time as Grace, who happened to be his girlfriend. The story also bounces back and forth between the present and the past. Overall, Meredith and Olivia's narratives are unnecessarily angry- instead of trying to work together to find their children, they spew insults and blame each other- and I found the shifts and storytelling very choppy. Leyna's whole life for the past sixteen years has revolved around finding her sister. Suppose the fires are a metaphor for the mystery burning underneath her childhood home. In that case, the unfinished housing development Meredith and Olivia still live in seems to be a fitting metaphor for Leyna's stunted life and Meredith and Olivia's inability to move forward in many ways.
Not much happens for two-thirds of the novel, and the last third is almost overly action-packed to make up for it. While the pacing and lack of likeable characters made it hard for me to get invested, my mind wandered, and I found myself swiping the pages; the mystery of what happened to Grace and the new missing girl kept me turning the pages. The final reveal of what happened was a total letdown. Not only was it needlessly complex and convoluted, but once I sat back to absorb it, it just didn't make any sense. The ending kept me trying to figure out how the pieces fit together—they just didn't. 😞
I want to thank Mulholland Books and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
January 26, 2025
**3.5-stars**
I always look forward to new releases from Heather Chavez. After I finish one, I'm immediately on her author page, checking to see if there's info on the next release.
What We'll Burn Last is her 2024-release and it follows a few different perspectives. It's set in California and is a Missing Persons-based Thriller. Our main perspectives are Leyna, Meredith and Olivia.
Leyna was my favorite. She had an older sister, Grace, who went missing years before. At the beginning of this story, she has an interaction with a young woman that stirs all sorts of memories about Grace.
Shortly thereafter, she sees the news that this young lady, Ellie, has disappeared. Not only did Ellie greatly resemble Grace at the time of her disappearance, but she also went missing from the same spot that Grace did. This cannot be a coincidence, can it?
Leyna has been active on true crime forums since Grace disappeared and she uses those platforms to begin to dig into Ellie's case. This string of events eventually leads her back to the hometown she left years prior and back into the circle of people she's been trying to avoid.
Her Mom, Meredith, is a hard perspective to follow. She wasn't likable, but I never feel like I need to like a character in order to enjoy their perspective, but I will admit to finding Meredith's POV to be a real slog.
We also follow a woman named Olivia. She is the Mom of Grace's boyfriend, Adam. Boyfriend, as in, they were a couple at the time that Grace went missing. By-the-by, Adam went missing at the same time. The two families have been at odds ever since.
You follow along with these three perspectives as the truth about the past, about what happened to Grace and Adam, as well as the current mystery of Ellie, and the drama between the two families is all worked out.
Honestly, it was a lot to follow. I really enjoyed the first half. As mentioned above, I had a great time following Leyna's perspective. The beginning was so intriguing, as she met Ellie and then learned of her disappearance.
This stemmed her investigation into Ellie, and it also rekindled her interest in what happened to her sister. This brought her back to her hometown. The trope of an MC returning to a hometown after a long period of time away, to look into some old mystery, is one of my favorites.
Unfortunately for me, the other perspectives brought this story down for me. They weren't as interesting to me as Leyna and my mind began to wander during their sections.
By the 60%-point, my interest was down. Whereas one would think my interest would only increase as the story went along, that really wasn't the case here.
I still feel like this is a solid story and that first half was def a 4-star read for me, but I had to drop my rating a bit, as went my level of interest, in the later half.
With this being said, even though this wasn't my favorite of her books, I'm already chomping at the bit to see what Chavez is going to deliver us next.
In comparison to her earlier books, I didn't find this one quite as pulse-pounding, but I still feel like it had a good plot and included strong character work.
I did like the setting and the initial build-up of the mystery as well. It did bring to mind the real-life tragedy of Gabby Petito, and that case was mentioned briefly within this story. I'm not sure if that case inspired Chavez to write this or not, but the relationship between Grace and Adam did have a similar vibe.
At the end of the day, this is a solid Missing Persons Thriller and I would encourage others to pick it up. I think if you're able to connect in some way to all three perspectives, this could be a very intriguing read for you.
Thank you to the publisher, Mulholland Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Chavez is a gifted writer and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
I always look forward to new releases from Heather Chavez. After I finish one, I'm immediately on her author page, checking to see if there's info on the next release.
What We'll Burn Last is her 2024-release and it follows a few different perspectives. It's set in California and is a Missing Persons-based Thriller. Our main perspectives are Leyna, Meredith and Olivia.
Leyna was my favorite. She had an older sister, Grace, who went missing years before. At the beginning of this story, she has an interaction with a young woman that stirs all sorts of memories about Grace.
Shortly thereafter, she sees the news that this young lady, Ellie, has disappeared. Not only did Ellie greatly resemble Grace at the time of her disappearance, but she also went missing from the same spot that Grace did. This cannot be a coincidence, can it?
Leyna has been active on true crime forums since Grace disappeared and she uses those platforms to begin to dig into Ellie's case. This string of events eventually leads her back to the hometown she left years prior and back into the circle of people she's been trying to avoid.
Her Mom, Meredith, is a hard perspective to follow. She wasn't likable, but I never feel like I need to like a character in order to enjoy their perspective, but I will admit to finding Meredith's POV to be a real slog.
We also follow a woman named Olivia. She is the Mom of Grace's boyfriend, Adam. Boyfriend, as in, they were a couple at the time that Grace went missing. By-the-by, Adam went missing at the same time. The two families have been at odds ever since.
You follow along with these three perspectives as the truth about the past, about what happened to Grace and Adam, as well as the current mystery of Ellie, and the drama between the two families is all worked out.
Honestly, it was a lot to follow. I really enjoyed the first half. As mentioned above, I had a great time following Leyna's perspective. The beginning was so intriguing, as she met Ellie and then learned of her disappearance.
This stemmed her investigation into Ellie, and it also rekindled her interest in what happened to her sister. This brought her back to her hometown. The trope of an MC returning to a hometown after a long period of time away, to look into some old mystery, is one of my favorites.
Unfortunately for me, the other perspectives brought this story down for me. They weren't as interesting to me as Leyna and my mind began to wander during their sections.
By the 60%-point, my interest was down. Whereas one would think my interest would only increase as the story went along, that really wasn't the case here.
I still feel like this is a solid story and that first half was def a 4-star read for me, but I had to drop my rating a bit, as went my level of interest, in the later half.
With this being said, even though this wasn't my favorite of her books, I'm already chomping at the bit to see what Chavez is going to deliver us next.
In comparison to her earlier books, I didn't find this one quite as pulse-pounding, but I still feel like it had a good plot and included strong character work.
I did like the setting and the initial build-up of the mystery as well. It did bring to mind the real-life tragedy of Gabby Petito, and that case was mentioned briefly within this story. I'm not sure if that case inspired Chavez to write this or not, but the relationship between Grace and Adam did have a similar vibe.
At the end of the day, this is a solid Missing Persons Thriller and I would encourage others to pick it up. I think if you're able to connect in some way to all three perspectives, this could be a very intriguing read for you.
Thank you to the publisher, Mulholland Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Chavez is a gifted writer and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
May 2, 2024
Sixteen years ago Grace and her boyfriend disappeared. Her sister saw her one last time before she ran off. Her sister, Leyna is still obsessed with finding out what exactly happened to her. Did her boyfriend, Adam kill her? Did she kill Adam and run off? Did they run away together? What happened to Grace and Adam?
Then one day a strange young girl shows up at Leyna’s restaurant where she waits tables. She only had a brief chat with her that was suspicious and then the girl leaves. Shortly after that, Leyna discovers that same girl has disappeared just as her sister did sixteen years prior. Leyna heads back to her old neighborhood to play detective. The girl, Ellie is missing and who is she really?
Man, this story was pretty slow. Most of this is neighborhood drama and dialogue. I wished there would have been some more tension written in. I didn’t really find this all that suspenseful. Oh, but there is definitely some fire written in. I did appreciate how the author told her personal experience of a fire that affected her and her family years before and how it inspired her to write the story.
I’d like to thank Mulholland Books, NetGalley and Heather Chavez for the opportunity. All opinions are my own.
Publication date July 23, 2024
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Please check out Kim’s Itsallaboutthetrill review as well. She absolutely loved it!
Then one day a strange young girl shows up at Leyna’s restaurant where she waits tables. She only had a brief chat with her that was suspicious and then the girl leaves. Shortly after that, Leyna discovers that same girl has disappeared just as her sister did sixteen years prior. Leyna heads back to her old neighborhood to play detective. The girl, Ellie is missing and who is she really?
Man, this story was pretty slow. Most of this is neighborhood drama and dialogue. I wished there would have been some more tension written in. I didn’t really find this all that suspenseful. Oh, but there is definitely some fire written in. I did appreciate how the author told her personal experience of a fire that affected her and her family years before and how it inspired her to write the story.
I’d like to thank Mulholland Books, NetGalley and Heather Chavez for the opportunity. All opinions are my own.
Publication date July 23, 2024
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Please check out Kim’s Itsallaboutthetrill review as well. She absolutely loved it!
June 16, 2024
This one is a domestic suspense thriller. It starts out with Leyna, working at a diner in Reno Nevada. Her sister, Grace, disappeared 16 years earlier when her and her BF, Adam, left their house in California, and never returned. Now she sees a girl that looks like her sister and seems to be acting strange. She starts a conversation and has this feeling that she could possibly be linked to her sister's old BF. Then the girl goes missing. It comes out that Leyna was the last one to see her. So she heads back to her home in California. Adam's family, and Leyna’s family both stayed in the same homes, waiting and hoping for their children to return home. But there are suspicions from both families. And secrets that have been hidden. There is also a wildfire written into the story and you'll read in the author's note at the end, she had an experience with that before.
This was an interesting mystery with unlikable characters and tons of drama between the families. I was hoping for a bit more suspense from the story though. It's still held my interest and I wanted to see how it was going to play out. The ending was good, but this was definitely a slow burn.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was an interesting mystery with unlikable characters and tons of drama between the families. I was hoping for a bit more suspense from the story though. It's still held my interest and I wanted to see how it was going to play out. The ending was good, but this was definitely a slow burn.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 16, 2024
This one was a bit of a departure for the author, at least in terms of pacing. Her other books have been fast paced with lots of action to keep you turning the pages and this one was very slow with the action not happening until the very end. There were quite a few characters to keep track of at first and it did take some time for me to settle in with them, I think it’s because Olivia and Meredith were so similar in their unlikability that I had a hard time knowing who was who as the book switched back and forth a lot. Leyna was much more likable for me so her chapters were my favorite and then there were short chapters from the fire that was beginning to rage in their neighborhood that were ok. I took almost a week to get through this and that’s pretty unheard of for me but I am glad I finished because I was super curious about what happened to Grace and Adam. Overall just an ok read for me, I definitely needed more action and faster pacing.
June 27, 2024
Filled with tension and suspense! Leyna was 12 when her beloved older sister went missing and now, 16 years later, she is still haunted by this event. When a young woman, named Ellie, comes into the restaurant where she works, Leyna is triggered by how much she looks like her lost sister. That very day, Ellie also goes missing in a similar way that her sister disappeared and Leyna heads home to find out what happened to her. Meanwhile a wildfire is stirring in the Sierra Nevadas and the clock is ticking to find Ellie, solve the mystery of her missing sister, Grace, and outrun the impending wildfire.
I am a huge fan of Heather Chavez. I devoured Before She Finds Me while on vacation last summer. I thought the storyline for this one was intriguing and solid. But it just didn’t hit right for me. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and a couple of them were so similar they were difficult to differentiate. The story was told from a couple of POVs, which is usually not a problem, but in this book seemed kind of jumpy and disorganized. Nevertheless, I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting to find out where Ellie went and the wildfire terrified me. This author is an auto buy for me and I can’t wait for her next book!
Thank you Netgalley, Mulholland Books and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on July 23, 2024
I am a huge fan of Heather Chavez. I devoured Before She Finds Me while on vacation last summer. I thought the storyline for this one was intriguing and solid. But it just didn’t hit right for me. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and a couple of them were so similar they were difficult to differentiate. The story was told from a couple of POVs, which is usually not a problem, but in this book seemed kind of jumpy and disorganized. Nevertheless, I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting to find out where Ellie went and the wildfire terrified me. This author is an auto buy for me and I can’t wait for her next book!
Thank you Netgalley, Mulholland Books and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on July 23, 2024
September 12, 2024
This domestic suspense is expertly plotted and brimming with juicy drama and secrets.
Though it's a slow burn, the story is rich and intricate. Told from multiple morally grey perspectives, I enjoyed the uncertainty of who to trust and constantly guessing who was truly trustworthy.
Chavez’s books are consistently intense and thoroughly entertaining. I'm a fan!
Though it's a slow burn, the story is rich and intricate. Told from multiple morally grey perspectives, I enjoyed the uncertainty of who to trust and constantly guessing who was truly trustworthy.
Chavez’s books are consistently intense and thoroughly entertaining. I'm a fan!
March 3, 2024
If I want to guarantee a 5 star read I go directly to Heather Chavez.
My well nurtured obsession began when I discovered No Bad Deed, many moons ago. I fed this obsession along the way with Blood Will Tell and Before She Finds Me
And then I got my greedy little paws on What We’ll Burn Last, and my life has never been the same.
Shook..
That was one heck of a twist!!!!
Is that what the kids are saying these days? That’s exactly how I am feeling. How is it even possible that each book blows my mind but the one to follow is even better !
If you haven’t read a Heather Chavez, book I actually envy you, you have so many incredible books that you will be able to enjoy for the first time .
Teaser :
From the acclaimed author of Before She Finds Me comes a sharp and surprising thriller about two entangled families in a California neighborhood who must race to find answers about a missing teenage girl as a wildfire crackles to life nearby . . .
Three women.
When she was twelve, Leyna Clarke watched her older sister, Grace, walk away from their Sierra Nevada foothills home with her boyfriend, Adam Duran. Neither was ever seen again. Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna works—and vanishes soon after. When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, Leyna’s childhood crush Dominic, who is also Adam’s brother, pleads with her to do the last thing she wants to do: come home.
Three secrets.
But Leyna isn’t the only one who hasn’t been able to leave that fateful night behind. Her mother, Meredith, still lives in the family’s old home—even if she claims to believe the police’s theory that Grace and Adam were willing runaways. Down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns. . . and to prove that Meredith and Leyna have been hiding something all these years. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or the missing girl. As a wildfire sparks, tempers flare and intentions turn deadly. Because someone in the neighborhood knows what really happened that night—and just how good the forest is at keeping its secrets.
Who will you trust?
My well nurtured obsession began when I discovered No Bad Deed, many moons ago. I fed this obsession along the way with Blood Will Tell and Before She Finds Me
And then I got my greedy little paws on What We’ll Burn Last, and my life has never been the same.
Shook..
That was one heck of a twist!!!!
Is that what the kids are saying these days? That’s exactly how I am feeling. How is it even possible that each book blows my mind but the one to follow is even better !
If you haven’t read a Heather Chavez, book I actually envy you, you have so many incredible books that you will be able to enjoy for the first time .
Teaser :
From the acclaimed author of Before She Finds Me comes a sharp and surprising thriller about two entangled families in a California neighborhood who must race to find answers about a missing teenage girl as a wildfire crackles to life nearby . . .
Three women.
When she was twelve, Leyna Clarke watched her older sister, Grace, walk away from their Sierra Nevada foothills home with her boyfriend, Adam Duran. Neither was ever seen again. Sixteen years later, a stranger who looks like Grace shows up at the restaurant where Leyna works—and vanishes soon after. When it comes out that Leyna was one of the last people to have talked with the young woman, Leyna’s childhood crush Dominic, who is also Adam’s brother, pleads with her to do the last thing she wants to do: come home.
Three secrets.
But Leyna isn’t the only one who hasn’t been able to leave that fateful night behind. Her mother, Meredith, still lives in the family’s old home—even if she claims to believe the police’s theory that Grace and Adam were willing runaways. Down the street, Adam and Dominic’s mother Olivia has also stayed, determined to be there when her son finally returns. . . and to prove that Meredith and Leyna have been hiding something all these years. But the past isn’t the only threat to the two families, or the missing girl. As a wildfire sparks, tempers flare and intentions turn deadly. Because someone in the neighborhood knows what really happened that night—and just how good the forest is at keeping its secrets.
Who will you trust?
December 16, 2024
2.5 rounded up.
Slow. Hard to follow, three women POV. Dated and timed but confusing.
Not much happens.
Loved Before she finds me by this author but this was not good for me.
The ending was also confusing and just didn’t really fit well.
Thanks to netgalley for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Slow. Hard to follow, three women POV. Dated and timed but confusing.
Not much happens.
Loved Before she finds me by this author but this was not good for me.
The ending was also confusing and just didn’t really fit well.
Thanks to netgalley for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 2, 2024
It took me a bit to get into this fully as there were so many characters and a back and forth timeline. Definitely a family drama with a lot of secrets and a wildfire burning out of control that forces them to all come spilling out.
December 12, 2024
This mystery story starts out strong with main character Leyna Clerk serving a teenaged Ellie Byrd at the diner she works at. The girl has an uncanny resemblance to Leyna's missing older sister Grace, who has been gone 16 years. Leyna's life has been centred on Grace, as she has obsessed over the case, delving deep into all sorts of online forums and the like for any hint about her sister. Grace's boyfriend at the time, Adam, has also been missing since the night Leyna last saw Grace.
When Ellie is also reported missing, Leyna returns home unhappily, but with the intention of helping with the search, and looking back over old clues in her former home.
Author Heather Chavez gives us the perspectives of three women, all tied together by the missing Grace and Adam: Leyna, her artist mother Meredith Clerk, and Adam's mother Olivia Duran. Meredith has always had a strained relationship with her daughters, and she is not close with Leyna. Olivia has never stopped hoping Adam will return, and though Leyna and Dominic (Olivia's younger son) were dating years earlier, Olivia has harboured great anger against the Clerks since their children disappeared.
Leyna revisits old clues, and asks new questions, and begins making real progress on understanding some of the emotions that were in play in all the relationships between the Clerks and Durans. The animosity is thick as it was years earlier, and there's always the sense that someone is about to get hurt, thanks to Leyna's questions. There are also power outages and the growing presence of wildfires, further raising the danger to everyone in the neighbourhood.
The story is twisty, and there are a lot of contradictions about who said and did what years earlier, and the two mothers are locked into totally dysfunctional behaviours with their remaining family members and with each other.
I really liked this but I will admit that I found it occasionally hard to distinguish between the two mothers, as both are pretty self-centred and kind of nasty. I also found that there were a couple of hard to swallow coincidences an obvious clues, but the story atmosphere makes up for it, as tensions just keep rising till the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Mulholland Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
When Ellie is also reported missing, Leyna returns home unhappily, but with the intention of helping with the search, and looking back over old clues in her former home.
Author Heather Chavez gives us the perspectives of three women, all tied together by the missing Grace and Adam: Leyna, her artist mother Meredith Clerk, and Adam's mother Olivia Duran. Meredith has always had a strained relationship with her daughters, and she is not close with Leyna. Olivia has never stopped hoping Adam will return, and though Leyna and Dominic (Olivia's younger son) were dating years earlier, Olivia has harboured great anger against the Clerks since their children disappeared.
Leyna revisits old clues, and asks new questions, and begins making real progress on understanding some of the emotions that were in play in all the relationships between the Clerks and Durans. The animosity is thick as it was years earlier, and there's always the sense that someone is about to get hurt, thanks to Leyna's questions. There are also power outages and the growing presence of wildfires, further raising the danger to everyone in the neighbourhood.
The story is twisty, and there are a lot of contradictions about who said and did what years earlier, and the two mothers are locked into totally dysfunctional behaviours with their remaining family members and with each other.
I really liked this but I will admit that I found it occasionally hard to distinguish between the two mothers, as both are pretty self-centred and kind of nasty. I also found that there were a couple of hard to swallow coincidences an obvious clues, but the story atmosphere makes up for it, as tensions just keep rising till the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Mulholland Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
July 28, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5 stars A very fast-thriller set in the midst of a California wildfire threatening life and home. Our story follows Leyna Clarke, a 28 year old woman who has been trying to find her missing sister, Grace, for 16 years. The police have dismissed the case, conclude that Grace and her boyfriend Adam Duran are runaways. Their mothers; Meredith Clarke and Olivia Duran, have stayed in their homes, each day waiting if they will return.
Secrets are unraveled as the case picks back up, a young girl, Ellie, who looks like Grace comes around asking questions, then she also goes missing. Depending on the POV, each of these women have theories as to what happened and what happens next.
This is very fast paced and character-intense. The relationship between Adam’s brother and Grace’s sister as a subplot was a little distracting from the mystery. The mother characters are a bit unlikeable, but nuanced, definitely not boring. I loved the back and forth theme of the actual wildfire growing out of control and building over time and picking up speed the exact same way the mystery and secret reveals picked up.
If you enjoy female centered non-police mystery and thriller, you will like this book!
Secrets are unraveled as the case picks back up, a young girl, Ellie, who looks like Grace comes around asking questions, then she also goes missing. Depending on the POV, each of these women have theories as to what happened and what happens next.
This is very fast paced and character-intense. The relationship between Adam’s brother and Grace’s sister as a subplot was a little distracting from the mystery. The mother characters are a bit unlikeable, but nuanced, definitely not boring. I loved the back and forth theme of the actual wildfire growing out of control and building over time and picking up speed the exact same way the mystery and secret reveals picked up.
If you enjoy female centered non-police mystery and thriller, you will like this book!
August 21, 2024
*Thank you to Novel Suspects and Mulholland Books for my review copy*
I have mixed feelings about What We’ll Burn Last by Heather Chavez. I liked the multiple points of view, the complicated family dynamics, the missing girl mystery, and the approaching wildfire that added tension and complication to what was happening in the story.
What I did not like was that this book was very slow. Truthfully, I am not a fan of slow burns. I like action, or at least little crumbs dropped as the story develops, but I felt like this story did not fulfill what I wanted in a thriller. Also, most of the characters were so unlikeable that I did not care for any of them.
Despite not totally enjoying this one, I would still recommend Chavez if you haven’t read her books, especially Before She Finds Me, which is my favorite.
I have mixed feelings about What We’ll Burn Last by Heather Chavez. I liked the multiple points of view, the complicated family dynamics, the missing girl mystery, and the approaching wildfire that added tension and complication to what was happening in the story.
What I did not like was that this book was very slow. Truthfully, I am not a fan of slow burns. I like action, or at least little crumbs dropped as the story develops, but I felt like this story did not fulfill what I wanted in a thriller. Also, most of the characters were so unlikeable that I did not care for any of them.
Despite not totally enjoying this one, I would still recommend Chavez if you haven’t read her books, especially Before She Finds Me, which is my favorite.
March 5, 2024
Thank you for the opportunity to preview What We’ll Burn Last. I loved Chavez’ last book. This one is quite a departure.
The story of a missing sister and the one who sees her face everywhere she goes.
Written in many voices the reader is taken through the backstory of two families who have destiny and familiarity.
Characters are interesting and the backdrop to a fire burning that can devastate the land.
Some parts were long and I lost traction but it is a good book and Chavez delivers a solid ending
3.5 stars
The story of a missing sister and the one who sees her face everywhere she goes.
Written in many voices the reader is taken through the backstory of two families who have destiny and familiarity.
Characters are interesting and the backdrop to a fire burning that can devastate the land.
Some parts were long and I lost traction but it is a good book and Chavez delivers a solid ending
3.5 stars
August 13, 2024
Heather Chavez is one of those authors who characters are rich and come alive on the page. I loved that aspect of this book. At once a slow burn mystery and a fast paced thriller (how she pulled it off I don't know) WHAT WE'LL BURN LAST knocks it out of the park.
August 9, 2024
Leyna was 12 years old when her older sister Grace and her boyfriend Adam disappeared. Now, 16 years later, a girl who looks like Grace appears at a restaurant where Leyna works, only to disappear shortly thereafter. And Leyna returns to her childhood home, convinced that this girl holds the key to her sister’s disappearance, all while a wildfire burns out of control. What We’ll Burn Last is a slow-burn (pun intended) thriller that follows Leyna’s quest for the truth about the night Grace vanished, opening old scars along the way. The secrets to that night are slowly revealed through flashbacks imbedded in the chapters, which sometimes causes the reader some confusion as you try to separate the time periods, and parts of the book lag under the weight of Leyna’s never ending angst. But the author does a good job of placing the reader in the scene, as the tension mounts along with the ever present threat of the wildfire as Leyna gets closer to the truth. Recommended, but be prepared for an overly long read.
July 10, 2024
Sixteen years ago, Leyna Clarke's older sister, Grace, along with Grace's boyfriend Adam, disappeared into thin air. Now, another girl has gone missing, after a haunting encounter with Leyna, and all those old feelings are brought directly to the surface. With a wildfire racing toward her hometown, Leyna is in a race against time to try and find answers. But the fire is not the only destructive force in the old neighborhood, and some secrets will do worse than burn.
This is an entertaining blend of disaster fiction blended with thriller and it mostly worked for me. I enjoyed unwrapping the mystery, but felt more exposition might have cleared a few murky places. Thank you to Netgalley and Mulholland Books for the review copy.
This is an entertaining blend of disaster fiction blended with thriller and it mostly worked for me. I enjoyed unwrapping the mystery, but felt more exposition might have cleared a few murky places. Thank you to Netgalley and Mulholland Books for the review copy.
July 15, 2024
Many thanks to @mulhollandbooks for my advance copy! I am a GIANT Heather Chavez fan! She also always has such eye catching covers and this one is no exception! This is a multi POV story that slowly unfolds and everyone is keeping secrets. I never really knew who to trust and everyone is kind of morally gray (which I love) With the exception of Grace….she was just an all-around selfish B. Lol
With a fire rapidly approaching things start to unveil and secrets don’t stay secret for long. I loved all the juicy drama and domestic suspense within the novel. I also appreciated the Author Note at the end and how this tied into Chavez’ real life experiences. Another entertaining read from one of my auto buy loves.
With a fire rapidly approaching things start to unveil and secrets don’t stay secret for long. I loved all the juicy drama and domestic suspense within the novel. I also appreciated the Author Note at the end and how this tied into Chavez’ real life experiences. Another entertaining read from one of my auto buy loves.
October 7, 2024
Big thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the ARC copy!
I really enjoyed the last Heather Chavez book I read. I wish I could say the same about this one. Unfortunately it was mediocre for me. It was quite difficult for me to follow along and stay engaged., as this one was much slower than her last book.
I found the ending to be quite confusing, and I am unsure of what exactly happened still.
I think maybe this one was just too slow and had way too much intertwining with stories/timelines for me to really enjoy it.
I really enjoyed the last Heather Chavez book I read. I wish I could say the same about this one. Unfortunately it was mediocre for me. It was quite difficult for me to follow along and stay engaged., as this one was much slower than her last book.
I found the ending to be quite confusing, and I am unsure of what exactly happened still.
I think maybe this one was just too slow and had way too much intertwining with stories/timelines for me to really enjoy it.
July 28, 2024
WHAT WE'LL BURN LAST is a solid page-turner that was easy to get into and hard to put down.
This turned into a literal beach read for me and I'm not mad about it. I'm not sure it quite stuck the landing - would say this was a 4-star, not a 5-star read - but the first 200 pages had me invested.
I liked the subplot of the wildfire; that felt realistic and added to the tension.
I picked this up because I liked Heather Chavez's last book (Before She Finds Me). Again, this one'll have me interested in whatever she writes next.
This turned into a literal beach read for me and I'm not mad about it. I'm not sure it quite stuck the landing - would say this was a 4-star, not a 5-star read - but the first 200 pages had me invested.
I liked the subplot of the wildfire; that felt realistic and added to the tension.
I picked this up because I liked Heather Chavez's last book (Before She Finds Me). Again, this one'll have me interested in whatever she writes next.
August 11, 2024
je ne suis pas entièrement convaincu par les plot twists… c un peu difficile à suivre
October 15, 2024
More like 3.5 stars. Leyna was 12 when her older sister Grace ran away with her boyfriend Adam. They were never seen again. What happened? Now 16 years later, Ellie shows up, looking remarkably by Grace. Who is she? Then there are the secrets being kept by Meredith, Grace and Leyna's mom, and Olivia, ADam and Dominic's mom. I felt the reasons behind the actions of Meredith and Olivia were weak. Also, the story was confusing as it flashed back to the past, but did so in the middle of a chapter, or just at the start of a new chapter. No indication of flashback.
Read
February 17, 2024This was a good overall book. I do feel as though I would have liked more in the way of character development, but the twists and turns were solid.
March 8, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
Heather Chavez is a top-notch author of mysteries and psychological thrillers.
In this novel, the resolution of an interlocking mystery involving multiple missing persons are all shockingly revealed during a tragic and terrifying fire that threatens the lives of almost everyone involved in hidden or attempting to discover the truth of what happened a decade and a half ago.
The fire not only symbolizes destruction, but it also represents renewal and eventual redemption.
This captivating story had me reading from the first to last page, all in one sitting.
Chavez is a writer of novels who fans of,authors such as: Frieda McFadden, Kiersten Modglin, Riley Sagar and Shari Lapena will greedily love, although there is something uniquely special in the talent Heather Chavez that gives her books a unique and an addictive literary weight.
5 stars from this grateful fan.
Heather Chavez is a top-notch author of mysteries and psychological thrillers.
In this novel, the resolution of an interlocking mystery involving multiple missing persons are all shockingly revealed during a tragic and terrifying fire that threatens the lives of almost everyone involved in hidden or attempting to discover the truth of what happened a decade and a half ago.
The fire not only symbolizes destruction, but it also represents renewal and eventual redemption.
This captivating story had me reading from the first to last page, all in one sitting.
Chavez is a writer of novels who fans of,authors such as: Frieda McFadden, Kiersten Modglin, Riley Sagar and Shari Lapena will greedily love, although there is something uniquely special in the talent Heather Chavez that gives her books a unique and an addictive literary weight.
5 stars from this grateful fan.
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